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Ghost

O2 ABC Glasgow – 29th March 2017

Review and photography by Gavin Lowrey

Ghost is the religion and tonight’s service is blessing the ABC in Glasgow

Ghost are an act that are musically diverse and contradictory, and are pure theatre, and with a Grammy in the bag too, have the gravitas to go with their brand of music that varies so wildly

The show is sold out and the venue is packed by the time support band Zombi hit the stage

The band are an instrumental two piece from Pittsburgh featuring Steve More on Bass and Keys with Anthony Pattera behind the kit. Five albums in a dozen years is not a bad haul and their set proves they are a tight outfit.

Their set however does drag, and without the vocals, one song does tend to drag into another, if I had to categorise them, I’d say its a kind of Depeche Mode/Rush crossover which is good in small doses but didn’t really float my boat (6/10)

You can literally cut the atmosphere with a knife as we start the build up to the main event, and 15 minutes of church interval music certainly amp things up to another level

Starting off with the catchy (Some may even say “poppy”) new track “Square Hammer” we are blessed with a stellar performance that has ghost right up there with the best of them, not only providing the theatre but having the tunes to back it up

“Pinnacle to the Pit” has the crowd in good voice, something that carries on throughout the show, be it singing long to the songs or laughing at Papa Emeritus quips

“Con Clavi Don Dio” bass notes tones demonstrate that the sound this evening is exceptional and also gives Papa a chance to give his thurible a wee run out

The Star of the show is clearly Papa Emeritus, however the Nameless Ghouls really come into their own and demonstrate they too have a real identity and personality, despite their masks covering their identity

As a result of this, they also have the ability to come and go as they please, something we had first hand experience of outside the venue before the show………..but my lips are sealed

The crowd are given communion by a couple of “Sisters of Sin” before “Body & Blood” something the crowd lap up, but they don’t need free booze to get the crowd on side because as Steven Tyler says they “Let the Music do the Talkin'”

The diversity of the Music is one of the beauties of the band, Pop (“He Is”) & Rock (“Absolution”) to Metal (“Mummy Dust”) it’s all there, and the crowd lap it up

The growth in stature of the band, not only as a live act but as a recording artist has been impressive, and with a Grammy to boot they have the gravitas to break into a more mainstream audience, and introduce them to religion that is Ghost